


Playing a reaper

by Ihaveseentwoghosts



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Cute Dogs, M/M, Mentions of past verbal abuse, is this how tags work?, mention of past suicide, only mentioned when discussing the reapers past, possible mentions of alcohol (i really don’t know but i could mention it without thinking.), sfw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-05-25 17:15:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14981819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ihaveseentwoghosts/pseuds/Ihaveseentwoghosts
Summary: After the disturbing occurrences that took place on the Campania, Sebastian is ordered to further investigate the motives and intentions of the Undertaker. In hopes that the reapers may know more than they let on, Sebastian infiltrates the London dispatch, disguising himself and taking on the role of a grim reaper in an effort to uncover more details on the deranged mortician, however, gathering information proves to be harder than expected with the strict supervision of the department’s supervisor.





	1. Chapter 1

Two-toned emerald eyes peered down at a file that was placed on the dispatch supervisor's desk. The papers had been typed out skillfully, lacking any punctuational or grammatical errors, occasional areas had been hand signed by higher-ups while a single line at the bottom awaited his own signature. William read over the documents carefully, the papers requesting his approval to accept a newly graduated reaper into the London Dispatch as a collection officer. He was carful to read over the young reaper's qualifications, trying to determine whether or not he would do well in the collections department, after all field work was far more dangerous than working in general affairs. 

"Eugene Michael, born December twenty-eighth, 1857. He graduated November second, 1889 with an overall B average. His skills on the field were without flaw and he faired well on the final exam," William read off the information given to him, unaware of the brunette reaper in the doorway. Alan Humphries stood just beyond the threshold of his supervisor's office; waiting for permission to enter. He coughed into his fist, an attempt to gain William's attention and pull him out of the files he had been closely observing. Will's head snapped up, his gaze pointed to the younger reaper as he waiting for him to speak.

"Ronald asked me to bring you the paperwork he filled out regarding the incident on the Campania. He was headed out on a collect and could not bring them himself," Alan relayed the information before stepping into the office with a fairly heavy stack of paperwork. William reached out a black-gloved hand, awaiting the papers to be handed to him.

"Knowing Ronald Knox, his handwriting will be nearly impossible to read," William stated dryly, looking over the crisp white page on top of the stack; surprised to find that the work had been typed instead of written in the junior reaper's poor handwriting.

"I advised him to type out the paperwork, seeing as you normally ask him to redo it when you are unable to make out his scribbles." Alan commented and turned to leave but stopped in the doorway upon the older reaper calling out his name. He twisted around, seeing that William had turned his attention back to the file he had previously been studying before Alan interrupted him. "Yes, Mister Spears?"

"We have a junior reaper transferring to the dispatch. He will need a mentor, however, all of our senior dispatch officers already have a new recruit to look after. Which leads me to wonder if you still require the assistance of Slingby," William spoke in a plain tone, a single dark eyebrow raised above the other. Alan remained silent for a few moments; he did not want to give up working with Eric and had never considered the possibility of loosing him as a partner. He combed over his thoughts, trying to find any possible excuse to prove that he still required a mentor.

"Regrettably I am not ready to take on collections alone," that was a lie and Alan mentally kicked himself for withholding truth from his supervisor for such a selfish reason. Alan no longer required the help on his partner in the field, he was excellent at defending himself from hostile cinematic records and prowling demons; the only chance he had of falling victim to injury was if the thorns of death decided to make its presence know by causing the him another attack. However, the attacks had become scarce as of late. "Just this month Eric saved my life from a lower class demon who was looking to feed off a dying soul," That was untrue as well, in fact, it had been Alan who saved Eric. 

William was silent while he mentally went over Everyone in collections, wondering if there was anyone else available for the position. He could not pass up the opportunity to take in a junior reaper, the London dispatch was already short staffed as it is, but allowing a reaper with no prior field experience—aside from the exam—to collect souls without a partner was like sending them to their death. For a brief moment he wondered if Ronald was experienced enough to work without his mentor, but quickly shunned the thought; remembering how both Ronald and Grell kept each other in check and worked quite well together. "Then I am left with no choice. I will have to mentor him myself," William announced with a irritated sigh, he already had enough work as it was and did not wish to look after an unexperienced and possibly reckless new reaper. 

"Let's just hope this one is able to get the job done without causing the rest of us overtime," Alan said with a soft smile, feeling relieved that he would still be working with Eric. Once again, he turned to leave, only this time he was not stopped by his supervisor. 

"More like he would be causing me overtime," William mumbled unpleasantly to himself before picking up his pen. He signed the pages, his signature smooth and without flaw as he approved the newest reaper of the collections department.

______________

Reapers can be easily identified, given away by green-yellow iris' glimmering behind a pair of handcrafted spectacles. It is just as easy to pretend to be a reaper; all you need is some forged paperwork, a tinted pair of spectacles, and the ability to view cinematic records. These are all things that Sebastian Michaelis possessed, along with the ability to change his appearance; making himself unrecognizable to reapers he had encountered in the past. It seemed the hardest part of the infiltration was reaching the reaper's realm without a death scythe; luckily their had been reapers taking exams in the area, making it easier to procure a scythe from one of the trainees.

Sebastian had been ordered by his master to investigate further into the Undertaker, and seeing as the ancient mortician used to be a reaper, he was curious to see if the dispatch held any information about his intentions or past, but of course he did not expect the reapers to willingly hand the information over to a demon. Going undercover seemed to be the most logical way to thoroughly fulfill his master's order. Sebastian was hesitant about leaving his master in the care of the other Phantomhive servants, however, no matter how incompetent they may be at daily chores, they would put their lives on the line to protect their master.

Sebastian had begun his temporary life as a reaper; living in a single bedroom apartment with a inconsiderate neighbor in the room above. He thought reapers required sleep, however, it seems that rule did not apply to them, considering all the noise they made in the early hours of the day. The tight quarters did not cause him discomfort neither did those who lived around him, perhaps the most uncomfortable thing about this mission was the form he was forced to take on. He was too well-known by the London dispatch to go in without a disguise and while changing form was uncomfortable and took some time to adjust, it was necessary. He was almost five inches shorter, his black hair was no longer chin length but now barely passing his ears. His face was rounder and features softer, making him appear far more innocent than he actually was.  

His eyes glided along the sleek decorations that came with his living quarters; noticing that reaper technology exceeded that of human's. Sebastian frowned, realizing that he must get a better understanding of this new technology and avoid making a fool of himself. He had to pretend as if he had been a reaper long enough to graduate, after all. There would be no excuse for him to lack the knowledge of how the flat box plastered to his wall worked. With that in mind, he approached the object cautiously, noticing a set of buttons lining the side, one slightly larger than the others. After a few moments of studying the mysterious machine he decided to press the largest button. With a click the screen came to life, blaring the sound of an arguing couple along with a colorful image. 

After calming himself from the unexpected noise and coming to the conclusion that the object was not dangerous, Sebastian leaned in closer as he observed the image that appeared to be...moving? Crimson eyes became round in shock, wondering how the reapers managed to put a theater into an electronic box. Pulling back, he observed the screen in its entirety. He was unamused by the over dramatic actors and quickly became board of the new technology. He wondered how reapers, beings who exceeded humans in intelligence, found this entertaining. Tearing his eyes away from the dull source of entertainment, he pressed the button once more, and as expected the screen went blank. 

Approaching the window, Sebastian noticed something different about the night sky; the bright city lights blocked out any stars and left the atmosphere a blank wasteland. Illuminated towers lined the opposite side of the road while a steady stream of traffic poured down the street. There were cars in the human world as well, however, they were uncommon and far less advanced. He became tempted, wanting to indulge in the nightlife and explore the technology of a realm unknown to him; rationalizing the desire by claiming he only wanted to fit into his role as a reaper by participating in their activities, but deep inside he knew that he simply wanted to enjoy an evening out without being bothered by humans or ordered around by a spoiled master. 

He was pulled from his trance by the vibration of pulsing music from the floor above. The beat was unrecognizable to the demon's ears and he could not place the genre. Peering up at the ceiling, he debated going upstairs to join in on the obvious party that was taking place, however, he shook his head in hopes of removing the temptation from his mind. While he loved the attention that came with going to parties, he did not enjoy being surrounded by drunkards. 

Ignoring the temptation, Sebastian turned to the balcony window, noticing a feathery stream of cigarette smoke twirling in the wind. It came from the balcony next door, diminishing the demon's belief that he had no neighbor on that side. He hadn't heard a sound from the neighboring apartment, neither did he run into them in the hall. He picked up his black-tinted spectacles, hiding his eyes before stepping out into the crisp air. The chill of winter nipped at his exposed flesh, however, it held no effect on the demon's body.  His eyes followed the trail of swirling smoke until he saw a tall figure leaned against the metal railing of their own balcony. He hadn't noticed the demon staring, however, that fact did not remain the same for the Rottweiler laying at his feet.

The stranger's companion could smell the sickening stench of a demon amongst the smell of cigarettes, her honey-colored eyes focusing on her unwelcome neighbor as she jumped to her feet, upper lip rising as she bore her teeth and took a protective stance in front of her master. A rumbling growl emerged from deep within her throat, catching the attention of her owner.  The figure turned, his face becoming visible under the dimly glowing porch light that hung from the cinderblock wall. An orange glare reflected off his glasses, shielding his surely green and yellow eyes. The face was easily recognizable; he was someone Sebastian had run into on numerous—unpleasant—occasions and the demon hoped his disguise would be enough to fool him. William T. Spears watched Sebastian in momentary silence before turning to hush the dog who had since began barking feverishly. 

"My apologies—" he raised his hand, adjusting his glasses and allowing the glint to disappear, his eyes became visible once more. "—she does not usually behave like this," The reaper's normally professional tone had change of one slightly more casual, however, it still held a certain amount of dignity. Leather-clad hands moved to scratch behind the animal's ear, calming her just enough to cease her disruptive barking, but not enough to change her protective stance.

"It is quite alright," Sebastian tried to muster up polite tone despite his displeasure in discovering just who his neighbor was, but he was certain he could handle it, after all, the two had lived in closer quarters before. Slit pupils moved to glare at the animal, causing her to coward away, pushing her rear end into William's legs in order to move him further back as well. 

Stamping out his cigarette on the cold metal railing, William noticed just how familiar his neighbor looked, recognizing the young man from the picture clipped to the file he had signed and mailed to the higher-ups just earlier that day. "I must take my leave. Persephone needs to be fed and put to bed," he spoke, gesturing to the Rottweiler at his feet before turning to open the sliding door. "Your shift begins at seven tomorrow morning, do not be late," William said with a faint and almost unnoticeable smile as he entered his home; Persephone trotting close behind. She had already forgotten about the demon's presence at the mention of food.

Sebastian watched the pair leave, the unpleasant reminder that he would be starting his job as a grim reaper the next day weighing heavy in his mind. Before the feeling of dread became too prominent, he turned to re-enter his dimly lit apartment. Despite the dreadful reminder of work, Sebastian was put at ease by the confirmation of his disguise; William did not appear to recognize him as his demon self and instead seemed to remember him from his forged application. 

The heated air of his apartment went unnoticed as it defrosted his exposed arms, however, the on-going party ranging on upstairs did not. The music, once beckoning the demon to join in, was now an annoying, hectic beat that promised the rest of the building would be lacking in a good nights sleep. Sebastian was grateful that his kind did not require sleep, unlike reapers. 

Meanwhile, in the room next door, that was just what William was trying to do, but inevitably all of his attempts at a nights rest were fruitless. It seemed that the upstairs neighbor had thrown parties every evening and judging by the stories told by Ronald Knox and Eric Slingby, William was amazed that any of the guests were able to work the next day. 

Over an hour had passed and tired eyes begged for rest but the noise continued to pulse through the building. Persephone paced the small apartment nervously, her panting only adding to the obnoxious static. Long nails clicked along the tile floor as she entered his room once more, jumping onto his bed for the eighth time that night. Her paws landed on his abdomen, causing a brief wave of pain. Letting out a soft groan, William gently moved her off of him and sat up in bed, an exhausted expression masking his features. "I assume the noise has you worked up, as well?" He questioned, putting on his glasses and trying to ignore the drool hanging from her mouth from excessive panting. "Perhaps we should take a quick walk to escape the noise?" Persephone closed her mouth, her ears perking up and her stub of a tail began to wag at the offer. While William was not in the mood for going out in the frigid cold, he did not want to spend another minute listening to the inconsiderate drunkards upstairs. 

Persephone leaped off the bed, trotting in circles as she waited for her master to adorn his coat and shoes. William would have normally changed out of his sleepwear before leaving his home; fearing he could run into a coworker, but seeing as it was three in the morning, he assumed the streets would be rather empty and anyone out would be to0 drunk to remember the next day. "Where did you carry your leash off to?" William frowned when he couldn't find the leash in its usual place and knowing she had a bad habit of carrying it around with her like a security blanket. She stared at him blankly, tongue hanging limply out the side of her mouth as she waited for her master to find the leash himself. William sighed, he hadn't expected an answer from an animal who could hardly understand simple commands, however, he was slightly irritated upon getting no response; perhaps the lack of sleep was getting to him. 

It didn't take him long to find the leash laying on her bed with the rest of her toys; he quickly untwined it from the others that had been scattered on the plush cushion. Persephone barked in excitement, earning a warning glare from William for her disruptive behavior. Clipping the metallic clasp onto her collar, Will beckoned her to walk at his side to which she obliged with an excited gallop. 

The halls were empty and William wondered if the other residents had joined in on the party or if they were struggling to close their eyes like he had been. He was taken by surprise when Persephone leapt forward, tugging the leash from his hands. She charged at Sebastian's door, scratching and barking at it in desperation. Slobber flung from her mouth and coated the door in thick, slimy droplets. William grabbed at the leash, catching hold of it and tugging her back just in time for Sebastian to open his door. The snarling canine fought at the leash, lunging at the demon who stood before her, however, he remained inches out of her reach. William made his usual attempts to sooth her, but no method could make her back down. "I am unsure of what is causing her to behave so poorly. She is normally shy with strangers; not aggressive," he spat out apologies, feeling a little embarrassed by his inability to control his pet.

Sebastian didn't flinch at the animal's threats, there was no reason for a powerful being like himself to fear such an unintelligent creature with the average life span of a decade. However, his lack of fear did not make up for his hatred of the species, he would much rather live next door to a noisy party goer than Persephone and her master. Sebastian did not bother to put on his polite facade; he was far to irritated with their presence. "As you stated earlier I began my first day at the dispatch tomorrow at seven o'clock. I also recall you telling me 'not to be late' now, if you would like for me to do so, I would suggest keeping you pet quite!" Sebastian snapped but quickly regretting it; remembering that William was to be his supervisor. Not in the mood for apologies, Sebastian turned on his heel and retreated back into his apartment. William stood in shock at the disrespectful behavior from his new subordinate, dreading the fast-approaching day to come.


	2. Chapter 2

The elevator squeaked to life, beginning its journey to the fifth floor along with multiple stops on the way. Sebastian silently wished the collections department was on a lower floor; he didn't particularly favor the headache-inducing collage of hygiene products that coated the other agents. A shrill ‘ding’ sounded overhead as the doors opened to the second floor, giving the demon some extra space as two reapers stepped off. A sigh escaped him as he moved against the cold handrail that lined the back wall, keeping his distance from the other three passengers. Keeping perfect posture Sebastian turned away, not wanting his face to be seen by those who were not directly involved in his scheme.

After two more insufferable minutes the elevator let out another ‘ding’' as it reached the fifth floor, allowing Sebastian to step out of the metal prison. He was glad that elevators were uncommon in the living world; the cramped quarters and sticky floors were not a proper place to start the day. The bustling environment of the collections division was not much better, however, it was, much to Sebastian’s relief, cleaner. Recently polished tile floors reflecting each piece of furniture with the clarity of a mirror were quickly becoming scuffed by junior reapers who were trying to find their mentors before the work day officially began. Those who were used to the hectic environment gossiped and flirted the same as humans do; being just another reminder that the death gods had all been human in their first lives. Fluorescent lights buzzed from above, warning Sebastian of the headache he would surely develop if he lingered in the office for too long. 

Stepping into the office, he nearly collided with a smaller reaper who was not aware of his surrounds as they desperately tried to keep up with his mentor. Sebastian easily sidestepped the young reaper, eyes narrowing in their direction, watching them catch up to the other who had yet to notice their absence. With an irritated huff, Sebastian checked the watch he wore on his left wrist. He had noticed reapers preferred wristwatches over pocket watches, however he found the pinching of the cool metal nothing more than a nuisance. It was five minutes past seven and Sebastian wondered when his mentor would come to collect him, after all, he hadn't been told who would be training him.

Staring into his own reflection on the polished tile, Sebastian was reminded of the tight fitting form he was forced to take on. Scratching at his arms, he wished he could peel off the flesh suit that concealed his demonic self, unfortunately, revealing his true self in a realm bustling with death gods was not a wise idea. Sebastian was grateful for his self control as he pried his eyes away from his own disapproving gaze, feeling foolish for entertaining the thought of abandoning his mission over a little discomfort. Claws retracted as he began to compose himself; plastering on a fake smile as he noticed he was being watched by the dispatch supervisor. 

"You're late," William stated, taking on a professional tone that he seemed to lack the night before. He didn't appear to notice the sharpened nails that the demon let slip only moments ago. Sebastian's eyes shifted to avoid his gaze; not wanting the other to focus to closely on his eyes for he feared his tinted glasses would not be enough to hide the glowing red behind them.

“I apologize for my tardiness, I was never told who my mentor would be...but as supervisor I presume you know who will be training me?” He mentioned. After years of treating William like an enemy being polite was something he needed to get used to. 

William arched his left brow, an irritated sigh escaping him as he adjusted his glasses with the blade of death scythe. “I suppose whomever was assigned the position of informing you about your acceptance into the dispatch forgot to mention that I would be the one mentoring you.” Sebastian strained to keep a smile on his face as the other spoke; he had hoped that his mission would only involve encounters with William when he was to hand in paper work, but now, finding out William was not only his neighbor but also his mentor left him longing to abandon the mission alltogether. Remembering the orders from his master, Sebastian was forced to bare the inevitable hell he had entered into, however, promising himself he would finish the task as quickly as possible. 

“I was not under the impression that supervisors took on apprentices,” Sebastian replied, hoping to find some ways of persuading the reaper into putting him with another partner.

“Normally you would be correct, however, the London dispatch finds itself short-handed at the moment. I am the only one available, and despite being an administrator I will be training you in soul collecting,” It was obvious from his tone that William was no more excited about the situation than Sebastian, however, it seemed as though he was not as willing to hide his distaste like the demon was. 

Keeping up his polite facade, Sebastian spoke, “It will surely be a pleasure working with someone of your experience.” Every word was a lie and the mere compliment nearly caused him laugh, but he managed to keep his outbursts under control and insincerity a secret. 

William ignored the praise and Sebastian wondered if he had even been listening as the reaper began to speak, changing the subject, “according to my schedule we have two hours before your first collection. That gives us enough time to get your to-die list and submit your form for an upgraded scythe.” He motioned to the training Scythe hooked onto Sebastian’s belt “The scythe you used during training will not be suitable for long term use. Once the forms are submitted it will take a few days to receive your new scythe, even longer if you request one that is custom built,” he further explained.

“I suppose requesting a traditional scythe would be more efficient then?” Sebastian asked as the two began to walk down a seemingly endless hallway, the outer side lined with windows. He allowed himself to peer out into the chilled rain that had been falling since early morning, turning the snow from the night before into a sloshing mess. He continued to stare as he waited for William’s response; his enhanced eye site able to pick apart each raindrop.

“I certainly prefer traditional scythes over the machines both Grell and Ronald chose. They appear to be far less reliable,” William answered without bothering to look at his partner. Sebastian smiled, entertaining the thought of requesting a custom scythe for the sake of irritating his mentor, however, he quickly decided William’s irritation was not worth his inconvenience. The rest of their walk was silent aside from the tapping of rain stabbing against the glass as the storm begun to pick up. 

Before long the pair reached general affairs. The department was fairly tame as most new recruits had already left for their first collections, leaving only a select few officers to enjoy the silence before being required to tend to their own collection list. Sebastian scanned the room, noticeably cringing when his eyes landed on a reaper adorned in red. “By your reaction I believe it is safe to assume you have encountered Grell before?” William commented with a glint of amusement in his eyes, however the spec of emotion quickly faded when the very reaper they were speaking of noticed them. It seems she was at their side before the duo even had the chance to consider leaving.

Sebastian relaxed, for once he was thankful for his disguise as Grell did not seem to recognize him in his ‘suit’ and showed no interest in him. She was instead at William’s side, ignoring all social rules involving personal space as she rambled on about something Sebastian didn’t bother to tune into. He instead took in his surroundings; knowing that after his task was complete he would likely never see the reaper realm again, however, the fluorescent lighting and the smell of heavily used cleaning chemicals only made the demon want to get out of there sooner.

“Grell! We are short on time and my recruit has yet to receive his to-die list. If you cause us to be late to our collections, you will be the one filling out paperwork,” William threatened, his tone sharp and seemed to repel the other reaper. 

“Then perhaps we can finish this after work hours, Will,” Grell spoke in a heavily flirtatious tone before turning away, however, she stopped in her tracks upon noticing the recruit at William’s side. “So the rumors are true. He must be talented if you are willing to inconvenience yourself in order to train him,” she observed. 

“He did exceptional in his classes, but I am not thrilled about being an instructor,” William added, not minding the fact his apprentice could hear every word.

Grell grinned madly, approaching Sebastian only to lean close to him “You are the only one aside from his former mentor and myself to work so closely to Will… however instead of a apprentice or a partner he is your teacher, I guess seeing if you make it or out of your training days will prove whether or not he makes a good one.” Her tone was playful but hushed. Leaving the conversation only between the two of them.

“I believe I am a capable reaper with or without a mentor: I will survive without doubt,” Sebastian said, not bothering to speak in a whisper. His comment did not go unnoticed by his mentor as William looked to him disapprovingly. 

“My teachings will not do you any good if you are too arrogant to learn. If that is the case I recommend you resign.” he adjusted his glasses and tried to compose himself from his little outburst. “I will gather the forms for your scythe while you get your to-die list. As I said before, we our short on time so please be quick about deciding the design of your list.” Lifting a gloved hand, William pointed to a desk on the other side of the room. A single reaper sat behind it, her back facing a wall of neatly organized shelves and boxes containing to-die lists. The lists were organized by color and to Sebastian’s surprise there were a vast selection of designs. 

Approaching the desk, Sebastian already had his mind set on a standard list that was lacking in design and color. A drowsy reaper, who Sebastian assumed had spent the evening before at the party above his apartment, didn’t bother to move her head to greet him. Her chin was propped on her hand as he pupils slid upwards to stare at Sebastian, waiting for him to speak first. Furring his brow he greeted, “Good Morning, I am here to collect my to-die list.”

“Name?” She forced herself to stand, lifelessly approaching the shelf closer to her. Her hands trailed along the the books as she waited for an answer. 

“Eugene Michael,” the false identity slipped from his lips, referring to himself as something other than ‘Sebastian’ felt strange and unwelcoming. He had grown quite fond of the name his master had given him; even if he was named after a dog. “I would like a standard design if it is not any trouble.”

“Fine,” she stated shortly as she rummaged through the books on the shelf. “At least I don’t need to switch out the covers.” Her index finger landed on the list, Sebastian’s false identity had been etched into the side. Sliding it off the shelf, she flipped through the pages, double checking that all the proper names were there. “Here,” She stated plainly, slipping the book to him before taking her seat and waiting for him to leave.

Feeling the book though his gloves, Sebastian admired what had been etched into the binding. His nails trace over each letter, feeling the depth of each indention. The cool leather nipped at his fingertips, drawing his attention to the slits his claws had torn earlier that day. 

‘I will have to find the time to mend these...or perhaps getting a new pair would be less troublesome,’ He told himself as he placed the leather bound to-die list under his arm. It was obvious the woman behind the desk had quickly lost interest in him so he did not bother dismissing himself. Returning to where he had last seen William, he waited patiently until his mentor returned with a small stack of papers. The forms were bound by a paperclip and typed out by a device unfamiliar to the demon. Sebastian did his best not to seem to surprised by the neatly typed out forms, they lacked the smudges that normally covered pages that had been stamped or typed with a typewriter.

“You will have time to fill these out between collections, in the meantime do not allow them to become wrinkled.”

“Understood,” Sebastian responded promptly. Lifting his arm, he checked the time on his watch. “We have some time before our first collection. Perhaps I can find a safe place to put these,” He said more to himself than to the other. 

“You may store them in my office until you are given a desk,” William stated as he began walking towards his office, trusting the other could keep up.

 

——————————————————

The air in the human realm was dry but chilled. The cold seeped through their clothing and while sebastian remained unaffected William did not. His nose had taken on a pink tint, only slightly brighter than the red that painted his cheeks. A smoldering fire was no longer capable of heating the cramped bedroom. A elderly man, just barely hanging onto his life, stared up at the ceiling, watching the blotches that interrupted his vision from staring at his bedside candle for too long. He did not notice the two standing at his bedside, however, the dying always seemed a bit too busy to notice the death gods who were sent to collect their soul. 

“You appear to have an easy first collection. We managed to arrive before any scavengers caught the scent of his dying soul,” William interrupted the silence, he did not bother to lower his voice for the sake of the dying; he was sure the man was already too far gone to register what had been said. However, his statement did not go unnoticed by Sebastian who had turned to face him. 

“Scavengers?” Sebastian questioned; he already new the answer very well, but for the sake of acting he played the role of a new reaper who was oblivious to the existence of demons. 

“Demons. They pose the biggest threat to us and are the cause of the dispatch’s low staff. This is why new recruits are to work with a experienced mentor.”

“And there are demons in London?” Sebastian played with the conversation; trying to see which answers he could pull out of William. 

“There is actually...a quite obnoxious one that I run into from time to time, but he does not cause much trouble.”

“Obnoxious? I was under the impression that demons were charming,” Sebastian could not hide the arrogance in his tone. The conversation continued as the man in the bed began to take his last breath; the low rumble in his chest a cue for Sebastian to pull his scythe from its holster. For a moment Sebastian wondered how different it would feel to harvest a soul instead of consume it, but his thoughts were cut short by the other’s response.

“Demons do have a certain charm, some more than others. Those who use their looks and kind words to lure their prey are especially skilled. I have certainly been tempted by a… certain demon on occasion. My advice to you is to look further than their kind words and attractive looks, keep in mind the form they take on is not their true appearance and the words they say hold no true meaning,” William carried on, stopping himself when he felt he was sharing too much. “We have a job to get to. I will stand back and only step in if you need assistance.” 

A final breath escaped the chapped lips of the now deceased. His muscles relaxed and his mouth hung open beyond what most thought possible. The stench of his dying soul assaulted Sebastian’s senses. The bitter scent of a wasted life made the demon envy those who lacked his enhanced senses. With a flash of his blade, Sebastian buried his scythe into the man’s chest. Records began to pour from the wound, spilling the life story of what Sebastian considered to be the most boring man to ever live. 

“Charles Anderson, born: March sixteenth, 1812. Died: November twenty-eight, 1889 from an untreated infection. Nothing to note,” Sebastian stated in an uninterested tone, marking the soul as complete and closing his list. He looked to William who had been observing his performance.

“You forgot to state his parent’s names. Keep that in mind for your next collection. Other than that you did well, but remember this was an easy collection. There may be collections in war zones or demon infested areas, those are the scenarios you are trained for,” William said in an attempt to praise his apprentice. Sebastian placed his scythe in his holster before adjusting his spectacles. The tinted lenses appeared even darker in the dimly lit room.

“I am glad to have completed the job in a timely matter, now, shall we return to the dispatch?”

———————————————-

After dropping off his forms with general affairs, Sebastian began the journey to the elevator; he was already dreading his decent in a metal box packed with reapers who were all eager to get home. He wondered if taking the stairs would be simpler, but his new form made moving too much uncomfortable. He found it strange, he was normally able to adjust to a new form after a day or two, but this one only seemed to irritate him more and more. Perhaps it was due to his current form being smaller than his past ones. Squeezing into the tight skin felt like being wrapped in plastic and he entertained the idea of slipping into his true form once he got to the safety of his apartment. 

Calling for the elevator, Sebastian waited in silence, his thoughts drifting into nonsense leaving him unaware of the reaper standing at his side. A young reaper with golden hair that changed to a darker shade underneath chewed mindlessly at his cheek. The two stayed in silence for a moment, neither seeming to noticed the other’s presence. The metal doors slid open with a shrieking ‘ding’ pulling the pair out of their thoughts. Much to Sebastian's relief the elevator was empty except for the youthful reaper who climbed on with him. The two had since noticed each other but the blonde showed no interest in conversation until he got a better look at Sebastian’s face. 

“Hey! You’re Mister Spears’ apprentice!” He said energetically. His green eyes lighting up as he watched Sebastian curiously. 

“Yes, Eugene Michael.” He introduced, holding out a hand for the other to shake. “If i may ask, why is it everyone knows of me?” 

Shaking his hand he introduced himself in return, “Ronald Knox, and I’d say it was Grell who spread the news. Everyone's a little shocked that Mister Spears’ was willing to train someone. Training a recruit seems to take a certain amount of patience that he just doesn’t posses.”

“I see...well it is a pleasure to meet you,” Sebastian said as the elevator came to a stop, the doors opening for him to step off, however, just when he thought the conversation had ended the younger of the two spoke up,

“Are you going to the party tonight? There is one every year for the new recruits. Eric throws it so it is normally pretty entertaining,” Ronald explained.

Sebastian stopped, thinking for a moment whether attending the party would prove to be interesting or nothing more than a bland social event. “I assume Eric is the reaper who lives above me in the apartments the dispatch provides? If that is the case then the event may be close enough for me to stop by.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***Light mentions of drug and alcohol use***

“I do not intend to spend my evening at an unorderly party. I would much rather spend my time trying to unwind from the workday,” William explained as he fumbled with the key to his apartment. The jingling of keys alerted Persephone of his presence, beckoning her to the front door where she anxiously waited for her master to enter the apartment; her tail thumping against the door with each excited wag. Pushing open the white door William stepped inside, his younger co-worker, Alan Humphries, following close behind. Persephone watched Alan cautiously for a moment until she gathered the courage to sniff him, after discovering that the stranger was not a threat she began to lick his hand and let out small huffs to express her excitement. 

“You will not be able to relax with that party upstairs, it may be better for you to just get out for the evening,” Alan rebutted, moving his hand away from the dog before it could be completely drenched in slobber. He followed William into the living room and made himself comfortable on the cream-colored couch. The older of the two sat down in a matching chair, allowing his beloved pet to rest her head in his lap. 

William didn’t speak for a moment as he mindlessly scratched behind Persephone’s ear, causing her leg to thump against the floor in a rapid motion. “I cannot understand why you want so badly for me to attend this party,” he finally decided to speak, his eyes shifting to stare at Alan who was now tapping a message into his phone; a smile grazing his lips as he did so. William was unsure of whether or not Alan was still paying attention as he took his time with his reply; giving his phone priority over what his boss had said. 

“You spend to much time alone. Aside from coworkers the only living thing you talk to is your dog,” Alan pointed out, his eyes only traveling to meet Will’s for a brief moment before returning to his phone. He sunk into the couch as his attention became entwined in the hand held device and William was sure that the younger reaper was talking to his mentor, Eric Slingby 

William was silent for a moment as he debated a proper response. “I would simply prefer to spend my time with more intelligent and tolerable beings,” William spoke slowly as if he was coming up with each word of his excuse as he delivered it. Alan frowned slightly as he watched Persephone lick and bite her own foot, her teeth making a chattering sound as she did so.

“And your dog is clearly more intelligent than any of your coworkers,” Alan pointed out sarcastically, however, he didn’t care to hear the answer as it would only be another unthought out excuse. Despite his attitude, Alan really hated to see William spending his second chance at life cooped up in his apartment with no one to keep him company other than a drooling Rottweiler. The younger reaper remained silent for a few moments, however his thoughts were desperately searching for an excuse that could help William get out of his apartment. His expression changed to one of triumph once he stubble onto a statement that just might be enough to sway the older reaper’s mind. “This is a party for new recruits, I would think that the new reaper you have been mentoring would be there. If I were you I’d go to simply keep him out of trouble, any poor choices he makes could reflect badly on you.”

William was not easily fooled, sensing that Alan was only trying to provoke his anxieties in order to get him to attend. “Honestly..., attempting to scare me is not going to change my mind on the matter,” he countered, his expression mirroring one of exhaustion.

“Provoking fear was never my intention. I was only saying that if your apprentice was to act up you would be held responsible to some account. He is your first recruit after all. It would do you both some good if you attended just to chaperone him,” Alan emphasized. A sharp ‘prrrring!’ Erupted from his phone, causing him to turn his attention away from William and back to the small device. A glowing message illuminated the screen; it was a text from his mentor. “Mr Slingby needs my help getting ready, I’ll see you at the party,” the younger called as he pushed himself from the couch, making his way to do the door.

“I never told you I was going!” William interjected, however, the door was already shutting behind the other. Sighing irritably, William leaned back in his chair, his head tilted back as he allowed himself to consider the possibility of attending the party for the sake of being a good mentor. Persephone watched him with a clueless expression, her tongue hanging limply out the side of her mouth and her round eyes staring at no feature in particular. Leaning forward again, William was able to get a better view of his loyal pet. “Perhaps I do require a more intellectual companion,” he spoke to her, almost wishing she could understand him.

—-

A low, repetitive thumping radiated off a set of blaring speakers, causing the wooden floor to vibrate beneath Sebastian’s feet. The raging noise around him was enough to drive any human insane, however with his enhanced hearing even sebastian was barely holding it together. The demon had placed himself in a once-plush but now stain colored chair that reeked of alcohol; sitting just a few feet from a group of reapers who smelled strongly of marijuana. This was not what Sebastian had expected and if given the chance he would bolt for the door, however, he was not there to socialize in the first place, he was there to blend in.

Scanning the room, Sebastian observed the actions of the other guests, finding that most of the new recruits were huddled in small groups talking and laughing over the surrounding noise. Other reapers who were more experienced in attending after-work parties were more outgoing and socializing with those outside of their graduation class. Behaving like the other new recruits would be ideal for blending in, however, it would likely have an opposite effect once the others didn’t recognize him. 

While pondering his choices Sebastian was jolted back to reality when he heard the familiar, stern voice of his mentor. William was talking to another party goer who Sebastian did not recognize. The demon inwardly cringed when he heard him asking the unknown reaper if he had seen a new recruit with tinted spectacles and dark hair. 

Ducking down so he would be completely covered by the back of the chair, Sebastian hoped his presence had gone unnoticed by the other guests within the short amount of time he had been there. It was not that getting caught at a party could blow his cover, however, it could slow down his mission. He needed to gain the trust of his mentor before he would be able the begin his research, and spending his evenings at parties was not the best way to do so.

“You’re gonna have to give me a better description- oh wait! Is it that guy over there? He hasn’t move from that chair all night,” the man said in a deep but strained voice, raising a short and stubby index finger in the direction of the purple backed chair Sebastian had been hiding behind. 

William raised a single brow and thanked the other before moving to investigate where the man’s finger had been aimed at. “Honestly, tomorrow is your second day as a full fledged reaper and you are going to be exhausted from an evening of partying,” he said as the back of Sebastian’s head came into view. 

Shoulders drooping, Sebastian twisted at the waist to get a better view of the obviously annoyed reaper. “I do not plan to stay long, I’m only here as it is tradition for new recruits like myself.” 

“Yes and every year the inexperienced recruits come to work tired the next day and end up falling victim to hostile cinematic records. If you want to remain my apprentice I ask that you take your job as a reaper seriously and go home,” William spoke harshly. 

Gripping the arm of the chair Sebastian debated his options. He wanted to leave the party and was planning to do so anyway, but he was unsure if he wanted to give William the satisfaction. “You seem as though you have something against this tradition that goes deeper than worrying about your coworker’s sleep schedule. Do tell me, did you ever attend the annual party when you were only a recruit?” A sickening smirk spread across the demon’s lips as he spoke. The question along with the unsettling look made William visibly uneasy. 

“I have no interest in confessing something of that nature to a mere coworker. However, i will say that what happened made me see the importance of being aware of what is around you,’ William stated, attempting to hide the emotions that were currently intruding on his normally calm thoughts. 

A sigh leaving his lips, Sebastian pushed himself from the chair. “I suppose leaving now would be ideal considering I cannot bare the stench of alcohol and the variety of drugs that seem to cling to everyone here.” William visually relaxed at Sebastian’s statement; glad that he was able to get him out without a fight. 

“Thank you,” was all he could say in attempt to express his relief. The two began to push through the crowd of oblivious reapers until they reached the calm hallway that waited just outside the door. The two began to walk in opposite directions when William stopped, turning to the other “The elevator is this way. Why are you taking the stairs?” He asked, becoming suspicious that Sebastian may return to the party once his back was turned.

“It simply did not occur to me that this building had an elevator.” 

“We are not in mortal London. Any building over two stories has one. You act as if you haven’t been living here for a year.”

“I suppose I’ve been too busy studying than learning about reaper technology,” Sebastian said all too quickly.

———

After an hour or so of trying to calm his overprotective Rottweiler, William was drained and ready for bed. After changing out of his suit and pulling on a matching set of pajamas he was finally able to climb into bed. Persephone slept at his feet, her snoring proving that she was already fast asleep and William only hoped that he would soon be sleeping too. 

He had just begun to fall into the comforting depths of slumber when a loud ‘thump!’ From the apartment next door startled both him and Persephone. Before William could fully wake up a loud barking erupted from beside him, causing his heart to accelerate. It was not long after that a light tapping could be heard from the door. Persephone leapt out of bed and ran throughout the apartment until she landed at the front door, her barking becoming more fierce.

Calming himself beforehand, William slipped out of bed and crept to the front door. Cautiously, he looked through the peephole and breathed a sigh of relief to see it had only been Sebastian. “One moment!” He called over Persephone’s barking as he herded her into his bedroom and shut the door before she could dart out again. He returned to Sebastian, opening it only to see his apprentice in nothing but a loosely hanging towel. 

“I am sorry to bother you at such a late hour, however, it appears I have broken my shower…,” Sebastian spoke with a smile that said his apology was insincere. He had not broken his shower, he just did not know how to use it, but claiming to have broken it was far easier than explaining why he had yet to learn how it worked after living in the reaper realm for so long. “Might I trouble you for the use of your shower?”

William sighed, too tired to question just how he managed to break his shower. “I suppose you can, just this once. you will need to call maintenance tomorrow to fix it. I do not want you to be using my shower regularly.”

“Of course, thank you,” Sebastian said as he stepped into the apartment, forcing himself to ignore the barking dog in the other room. William showed him the way to the bathroom, yawning as he thought of how much he would rather be in bed.

“Do try and be quick, and to prevent you from breaking my shower remember turn the handle left for hot and right for cold. Turning it off would require you to turn the handle all the way to the right; it shouldn’t be too hard.” William muttered before turning to walk towards the living room, sitting on the couch as he waited for sebastian to take his shower.

“I do hate this new way of living. It has only caused me to make a fool of myself,” Sebastian muttered to himself as he allowed the towel to drop from his waist. He hoped a warm shower would soothe the itchiness of his new form; he had been growing more and more uncomfortable in this ‘suit’ with every passing moment. 

Turning on the water he stepped underneath it and allowed the scorching liquid to rinse over him . His eyes closed as he tried to relax himself, letting the water wash over his dark hair as he searched blindly for the shampoo on a nearby shelf. After being unsuccessful in his attempt he opened his eyes with an irritated sigh, but his search was interrupted when a horrified gasp left his lips. The skin of his arm had become darker and was bubbling slightly as his inner self ate away at his disguise. 

It had become clear that his more beast-like side was becoming irritated with being pent up inside such a limited form. He knew he would not be able to hide his melting flesh even if he was to dart out the door as it was likely the blackened area would have spread to his chest by the time he is able to wrap himself in a towel. Left with no other choice, Sebastian checked the door to be sure it was locked before giving in and letting his true form take over.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: drug use

Trigger warning: drug use

 

The sound of water running was accompanied by the squeaking of skin sliding against tile as Sebastian moved into a sitting position, his back pressed against the wall behind him. His pale skin had melted away to reveal obsidian colored flesh the texture of leather. Black tendrils crawled up the cream-colored walls, painting them in darkness. Through the wall Sebastian could hear Persephone growing fierce as she scratched and dug at the drywall of William’s bedroom. He cursed to himself, wondering if William had fallen into a deep enough slumber to not hear the commotion.

Sebastian tried to relax, hoping he could gather the energy to build his disguise once more after a few minutes or so. He soon discovered that relaxing was nearly impossible with a vicious canine barking and growling from the other room, the only thing holding her back was a thin layer of drywall and tile. Resting his head against the wall, Sebastian allowed the water to pour over him, the scorching water providing only the slightest relief to his tense muscles. He basked in the darkness that now covered the walls like spilt ink and he took in the heavy aura that drowned out any oxygen. It was odd, but for that brief moment the world around him fell silent and he felt at peace. 

As Sebastian relaxed time continued to pass without the demon’s knowing and before long William was growing annoyed with his guest. He had moved to sit on the balcony not long after he heard the water cut on; his plans to rest on the couch were unfortunately cut short when Persephone started up another barking fit. William only hoped he would not receive another complaint from his neighbors about the noise. A puff of smoke danced within the chill night air, braking apart as snowflakes shot through it like bullets. William was grateful for the late hour and that no other residence would be enjoying their balconies at the time for he knew the stench of marijuana would leave his bad habit exposed. 

Glossy eyes peered down at the quite street below, the snow covered road promised a difficult morning commute that would only serve to irritate him. Checking his watch he realized he was left with only six hour until he needed to be at work. An annoyed huff left his frigid lips as he glanced back at the glass door behind him, hoping that Sebastian would be getting out of the shower so they could both get a good night's rest before morning came. He was set at ease when he noticed the door of the bathroom open, a sliver of light cascading over the dark living room. His relief was short lived as he looked down at his hand and in a quick movement he flicked the joint over the railing, watching the dimly glowing paper be extinguished by the snow covered sidewalk below.

His movements frozen, William watched the other as he walked towards the sliding doors of the balcony, nothing to armor him from the cold other than two towels; one that he had brought from his own apartment hugged his waist while a towel he had borrowed from William lay limply over his shoulders, catching the water that dripped from his hair. ‘Surely he is not coming out here dressed like that,’ William thought as he watched Sebastian reach for the polished door handle. But sure enough the screech of the door filled the air as Sebastian stepped outside; unphased by the cold. The ice that covered the balcony floor crunched beneath his bare feet. 

“I only came out here to thank you,” Sebastian stated as he moved to lean against the railing, his still elongated nails tapping against the metal bar. The demon had been able to conceal most of his form, however, a few minor details still remained. The scent nor William’s glossed over eyes went unnoticed and Sebastian knew exactly what the other had been doing. “As a thank you I suppose i'll keep your secret safe for now.” A smile formed on Sebastian’s lips and a single fang could be seen peeking out from his upper jaw. William blinked quickly as the tooth caught his gaze however the fang was gone as quickly as it had appeared. 

Sebastian pushed himself from the railing and turned towards the door, while the cold did not effect demons it did effect reapers and in order to play his role correctly he wanted to get out of the cold as quickly as possible. William stumbled after him as he fumbled over his words, trying to find an excuse but in the panic of the situation he could not find a single one. Giving up, he took a deep breath to steady himself before speaking, “Do not breathe a word of this.”

“I have already given you my word that I would keep this between us,” Sebastian replied as he watched the reaper move to sit on the couch. Sebastian did the same, earning an odd look from the other as he took the seat next to him.”I must admit, you do not seem like the type who would enjoy recreational drugs’” he said with a small hum, tilting his head to the side in order to get a better look at the other. 

“I started in the academy do relieve stress, I had planned to stop once I passed my exam and life became less stressful, but it never became less stressful due to the amount of overtime and the obnoxious coworkers I am forced to deal-never mind, I do not wish to share this with you,” William interrupted himself before he got too carried away. He watched as Sebastian moved closer to him as if he was paying close attention to William’s words and was waiting for more. The couch dipped with the shift of weight, pulling the pair closer together so William’s side was practically against Sebastian’s chest. 

William pushed himself away quickly, causing Sebastian to chuckle, his fangs becoming visible once more as he did so. Forgetting the previous conversation William, without a second thought, reached over, allowing his index finger to touch the point of the tooth. “What is this?” William asked with a mix of fear and curiosity in his red-tinted eyes. Sebastian froze, watching as a drop of blood welled up from the pin-like mark that was left on William’s finger. Luckily, for Sebastian, William was too influenced to fully understand the situation he had placed himself in. 

“Whatever do you mean?” Sebastian spoke calmly, perhaps with the state William was in he could act as if his demonic features were something of a hallucination. William looked down at his bloodied finger, it had stopped bleeding within a minute or so as the puncture was not deep, however, the drying blood still stained his skin. “I believe the drugs are having a negative effect on your thinking, perhaps it’ll be for the best if you got some sleep,” with that Sebastian pushed himself from the couch and adjusted the towel around his waist before setting the one he had borrowed from William neatly on the arm of the chair. “I will see you at work tomorrow, Mr Spears. Goodnight.”

“You’re right...goodnight Eugene,” William spoke slowly, his eyes not leaving his finger as he spoke. “I apologize for my uncalled for behavior.”

———

“So you forced Eugene to leave the party?” Ronald asked as he chewed on the plastic straw of the milkshake he had been drinking. He hung close to William’s side, their shoulders brushing against each other on occasion. 

“Honestly… you act as if I never told you. I do not approve of that tradition in the slightest,” William responded as he looked down at his gloved hands, feeling the warmth of his coffee though the thick fabric. “A new reaper is too inexperienced to afford coming into work half-asleep. It can cost them their life.”

“Will...that has only happened once and we all know it was not from lack of sleep,” Ronald spoke in a softer tone, moving to rest his head on William’s shoulder for a brief moment of comfort. Silence soon fell upon the two as they turned the corner, coming closer to the door of the younger reaper’s apartment. Cold hands, only made colder by the milkshake, fumbled with a set of keys until he was able to place them in the lock, twisting them quickly in order to get into the warm embrace of his apartment faster. 

Pulling off his jacket, Ronald’s concerned look faded into one of mischief as he watched the other step into his apartment, surprisingly However, the look was not returned as William moved to take a seat on the couch, his shoulders slumped as he leaned forward to look down at the carpet. With a sigh, Ronald moved to sit next to him “I suppose I should not have expected our usual routine after such a heavy conversation. I am sorry. I just assumed you would want to take your mind off of the subject,” Ronald explained with the genuine feeling of guilt sitting heavy in his chest.

“You are right in your thinking; I do want to get my mind off of the topic,” William said, his voice quite. “But I do not think I should.”

“William...you have spent enough time feeling guilty. No one blames you. I certainly don’t,” Ronald reached for his hand and squeezed it just enough to catch William’s attention. The other looked up; his eyes wide because he knew blinking would only cause unwanted tears to fall. “Please don’t tell me you blame yourself.”

“I don’t anymore.” William said, pulling his hand away in a harsh manner. Ronald stared at him in shock, his heart accelerating from the unexpected gesture. “The drugs he took, you had been the one to sell them to us…I knew all along it had not been simple sleepiness that had him distracted...but I was in denial until you tried to do the same to me,” he accused as he got to his feet. 

“What? Are you saying I laced them? I-It couldn’t have been me I was given that stuff by a friend of mine-I-...William you don’t really think I’d do that…,” Ronald pleaded, getting to his feet and taking steps closer so he was only inches away from William. 

William averted his gaze, looking anywhere other than the heartbroken expression on Ronald’s face. “I didn’t want to believe it but whatever you gave me last night, it had been laced as well.”

“Wha-“

“It caused me to hallucinate.”

“William, please believe me I would never do anything to harm you. William! You know I’m in love with you, why do you refuse to believe me? Why do you refuse to trust me?” Ronald admitted, unsure of if he should regret the confession or not. His pleading tone was accompanied by a catch in his throat as he started to loose his composer. 

“Do not waste my time with desperate lies. We were never more than friends, no matter what we did together that was all we were. But now, I do not want to see you unless it is necessary for work purposes. Goodbye Mr Knox,” William spoke coldly, the tears once welling in his eyes had faded long ago and left nothing behind to prove they ever existed. Moving away from the other, William headed for the door and left without looking back. Ronald was left stunned and heartbroken, his confession had been seen as nothing more than a flirtatious and desperate attempt to gain trust, however, it seemed to always end that way for him.

The walk back to his apartment seemed to take longer than usual, maybe it was only because William was savoring his last trip he’d be taking from the fourth floor or perhaps because despite his emotionless demeanor he was struggling to gather enough energy to even move his legs. By the time he reached his apartment door he could barely contain his true feelings, resting his head against the door as he searched for the strength to reach for his keys.

“Lock yourself out?” A voice asked, the tone laced with stifled laughter. William already knew who the voice belonged to, however, he turned around to check anyway. He was in no mood to deal with his apprentice at the moment and was quick to reach into his pocket and pull out his keys to show that he had them. Unfortunately for William, the confirmation did not make the persistent demon leave but instead made him curious; provoking him to ask, “If you have them then why have you been standing here for two minutes?”

“You were watching me?” William questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“I only noticed because I was just arriving home. I first noticed you when stepping off the lift and decided to see how long you were planning on standing there. But you are avoiding my question. Why are you standing here?” Sebastian pushed.

William shifted from foot to foot under the demon’s intense gaze.“Do you remember why I told you I hated the annual party?” He unlocked the door to his apartment, holding it open for Sebastian to step inside.


	5. Chapter 5

“So it is time for your confession, or rather, tell me your overly opinionated statement on why socializing is wrong?” Sebastian patronized. The repetitive ‘tinging’ of a spoon scraping the sides of a freshly cleaned mug as it stirred a heavily steaming serving of coffee. Approaching William who now sat on his couch, Sebastian served the reaper his beverage just as he had served his young master.

“It is not an opinion; I will only tell you the truth of what I witnessed—Why are you giving me this?” William eyed the coffee unwelcomingly.

“It is so you can sober up.”

“Honestly...you catch me partaking in a bad habit once and now I am an addict.”

“I do not believe you would be able to enjoy something enough to become addicted,” Sebastian spoke, earning a glare from the reaper who reluctantly accepted the beverage while it was still hot. “I was joking. I think highly enough of you to know you are far too preoccupied with work and that loud dog of yours. You need to sober up from whatever is fogging your mind; not necessarily influential substantances,” he further explained. William began to drink, feeling a little better About accepting the drink after hearing the other’s reasoning.

“And you believe it will help?” William questioned suspiciously.

“Yes, hot drinks tend to ease the mind. I used to serve them to my young-younger brother when he had nightmares. However, he received milk with honey rather than coffee,” He assured, making himself comfortable on his own side of the couch. His leg crossed over the other and his head rested on the back pillows of the couch as he gazed up at the ceiling. A impatient exhale poured from his form as he waited for the reaper to speak next.

Fiddling with his grip on the hot mug, William realized he had not been listening to what the demon had said previously. He responded with a hum; he hoped that would be a acceptable response.

“I would like to remind you that we have to be at work in six hours. So if you could state your confession now that would be preferable,” Sebastian commented as he began to tap his foot impatiently. 

William’s shoulders sunk as he let out a breath of air. The room was filled with two minutes of near silence as the reaper thought over his next words. “...When I was a new recruit—“ he paused, taking a long sip from his coffee to coat his drying throat. Sebastian sighed, not caring for the dramatics. William ignored him and continued to speak, “As you discovered for yourself, there is an abundance of drugs at those parties...while I did partake in them myself on occasion. I had a close friend who enjoyed them too much.” He looked too the demon, trying to determine if he was still listening. Sebastian had not moved, continuing to state at the ceiling. 

“Are you going to continue?” Sebastian asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” William said irritably, “I was only making sure you were still listening. As I was saying; I do not know what he took, or if perhaps what he took was laced, but the next day he was not himself. He insisted he was fine, and carried on with his work nonetheless. His mentor said he let his guard down, but that doesn't sound like him. Something else was playing on him and while I belive it was drugs, there is no way to be sure.”

“He could have simply slipped up. Lost his grip on the situation. No necessarily drugs. Cinematic records are difficult to control are they not?” Sebastian pointed out.

“I never said it was a cinematic record.”

“What killed him then?” Sebastian questioned bluntly, his eyes gliding towards William, however his face remained pointed at the ceiling. 

“His mentor claims...it was a demon.”

“He was killed by a demon? That does not sound to preposterous,” a barely visible smirk pulled at Sebastian’s lips. “They are stronger than reapers...most of the time anyway.”

“And how many demons have you encountered?” William remarked bitterly “besides...the demon knew him. His mentor said it called him by name and new some interesting information about him.” The room became silent after that. William finished up his coffee before setting it on the coffee table with a high-ringing ‘clink!’ 

“Information. Of what sort?” Sebastian questioned as he pulled his back from the couch and twisted his body to partially face the other.

“I do not know specifics.” William’s shoulder slumped as he disposed of his perfect poster in a moment of mourning. “Eugene, I do not want to explain to our co-workers how you lost your life to a demon. No reaper, no matter how useless they may be, no one deserves that kind of death.”

“Do you believe it is worse than at the hands of a cinematic record then?”

“I, along with most of the dispatch, believe being at the mercy of a sadistic monster is far worse than dying at the hands of a soul desperate to survive,” William explained. He pushed himself from the couch and tried to muffle a yawn. “I must take my leave. Persephone needs to be walked before I retire. I do appreciate you lending an ear, Eugene”

“It seems as though narcotics were not the issue, but maybe you wanted to hold onto that excuse. Maybe you want to believe he was not fully conscious at the time of his death. I will see you in the morning then...Mister Spears,” 

 

 

“If you are not behind on paperwork you may take a break for lunch.” William said all while refusing to peel his eyes from the documents he was looking at. Sebastian stared down at his own paperwork, which had unnoticeably went untouched while he was forced to listen to the churning of a clock’s gears and the scratching of his supervisor's pen. He was unbothered by his lack of progress as Sebastian knew he could easily complete the stack in the time it took WIlliam to complete one. 

Seizing the opportunity to get some progress on his master’s orders, he hoped that the reaper was not planning to join him for lunch. William usually kept a tight lead on him in the office. Pushing himself from the chair, Sebastian straightened his back and began to speak, “Then I will return before the end of the hour.” Without giving William a chance to reply, Sebastian left the room in haste. 

The office had mostly cleared. Most reapers had left for lunch and all that remained were workers who found their paperwork a excuse for eating at their desks. Sebastian was able to slip through the large room unnoticed, but it is not as if anyone would be suspicious of someone walking about during the department’s break. The beast’s lips curled into a revonous grin as he walked down the window lined corridor. His thoughts electrictrified with how horribly easy it was to infiltrate the Grim Reaper Dispatch. The doors awaiting him at the end of the hall, the doors he ironically named the gates of heaven, these were the doors to the Library and it was not even guarded.

“Oi! Newbie! If you are lookin’ for the library that ain’t it anymore! They’re moving it to a more secure location. Say somethin’ bout they ain’t lettin’ us ordinary reaper’s use it no more! Supervisors and authorized folks only or some shit,” a rough voice echoed down the hall, causing sebastian to halt and the squeak of a freshly waxed floor to cry out beneath his feet. He turned to face the other. 

“Why is the library no longer open to all?”

“HIgher ups won’t tell us! Just said it was for security reasons...but us officers have some theories...some think it has something to do with a rouge…” he began to whisper as if they were being listened too. “But me…?I think a beast has been let loose.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait. Especially such a long wait for a short chapter, however, I really enjoyed the ending line and didn’t want to right anymore after that.  
> I hope that the long waits are over and I’m thankful for your patience. I have high hopes and belive I may have a new chapter up soon. I defiantly do not plan to wait months between again and I do plan to continue this story to the end.
> 
> Thank you for reading. Thank you for your comments and kudos which really encouraged me to get back to writing. I’m very greatful for that.


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